Born in 1953, Dan Kinsey was raised on a farm near Viola, Wisconsin, and built his own motorcycle at the age of 14. With training in drafting and machine work, he went to work in 1973 at S&S, which then consisted of five people in a 36x60-foot outbuilding. In the late 1970s, S&S started making the annual trek to Bonneville to promote its performance equipment and support its customers. Working with chassis-builder Denis Manning, S&S provided the power for his streamliner, Tenacious, which Manning invited Kinsey to pilot in 1983. He proved more than a capable pilot, setting a record of 278.63 miles per hour in 1985. Today, Kinsey is still with S&S as head of its research department. S&S, which has become synonymous with high-performance V-twins, is now a major engine builder that employs 300 people.